It’s been a busy few months since the beginning of the New Year and I can’t believe it’s May already. In that time I’ve had a few doctors appointments and Consultant appointments but the good news is I’m fine. I pretty much knew that but when someone highlights a potential problem you do just get a niggling voice in the back of your mind, suppose I’m not.

Anyway, blood pressure maybe on the rise but that is due to my strong family history of hypertension and there is not too much I can do about that. I exercise, eat healthily and am not overweight. I’ve just got to keep an eye on it and my GP will potentially intervene with the possibility of medication once it hits a certain level consistently. For now I’m definitely hypertensive but not so much that warrants medication. My heart’s fine, as I knew it was. My bradycardia is a byproduct of my running and fitness. Which I guess is good!

I’ve signed up for quite a few runs this year and I’m super excited, starting with the BUPA London 10km which happens on Sunday May 25th. This will be the 3rd time I’ve done this race and I love it. It takes in the lovely sites of the capital including Admiralty Arch,Nelson’s Column, Leadenhall Market, Millenium Bridge etc. It really is lovely and I always find myself chugging along looking around like a tourist, lol.

My next run after that is my first half marathon of the year, Run Hackney, and it’s a new one on the race calendar. It takes place on Sunday 22nd June and I saw the advertisement for this one in the free Metro paper and the description drew me in. It’s supposed to be a flat course and takes in some sites of Hackney (where I was born). Runners pass by the famous Hackney Empire, Broadway Market and we run alongside London Fields. This one was especially special to me as my dad doesn’t live too far from this venue so maybe, fingers crossed, he’ll come out and see his girl running.

After that I go and run with a dear friend of ours in for a Race for London 10km in Southampton on Sunday 6th July. Now I try and run a Cancer Research UK Race for Life every year as it’s for such a good cause and the unfortunate fact is 1 in 3 will face it at sometime in our life. Whether it be personally or through a family member or friend.

Now the last one I’ve officially signed up for is the BUPA Great North Run on Sunday 7th September which is the biggest half marathon in the world! Last time I did this was in 2009 and again it’s one of those you just have to do. The atmosphere alone is worth the entry fee. No matter what the weather is it is always well supported. You feel the crowd urging you on. In fact pulling you along! Did I forget to say that I’m doing both the BUPA London 10km and the BUPA Great North Run with my son. The first time I’ll be running with him and I can’t wait.

I’m tempted to sign up for the Pride 10km in Hackney, Victoria Park which I think is in August this year but I haven’t as of yet.

The last few weeks have been quite eventful and not nearly filled enough with one of my favourite things running! I’ve had to cut back on myasics.co.uk marathon training programme as there still have been questions, as yet unanswered on my blood pressure.

Some tests have been done 24 hour BP monitoring (Saturday) and some bloods (today). Next up is the 12 lead ECG and then I’ll make an appointment with the GP to hopefully find out the occasional high BP readings are okay and no changes are needed. Exercise is supposed to lower your BP but like my mum said (and mums are usually right!) maybe this marathon training is too much. Maybe I won’t be able to do the marathon in March 2014. I surely don’t want to pack in the running 😦 Anyway until the time that I get an all clear from the GP I’m cutting back on the running just a little bit.

This year has been hard financially but prosperous in love and laughter. I’m counting my many blessings on the eve of 2014 and hope that you all have a wonderful, healthy and safe New Year!!!

This week has been a mix bag. Since my run last week I’ve missed two scheduled runs. I was felt exhausted on Tuesday so missed the 3 mile run and opted to do Wednesday’s 5 mile (fast) run instead. All went well and on Friday I was scheduled again to do a 5 mile run (fast) however that morning I attended the doctors for a steroid injection and boy was I not looking forward to that!

I had one approximately 7 months ago when I started to get pain in the base of my thumb on my left hand. The pain had started progressively to the point I ended up using a sling and no amount of ibruprofen or paracetamol was helping so I sought help from the GP. He suggested it was caused from repetitive stress and offered me a steroid injection. The pain of that injection was something else and so when I started to have this same pain again about a month ago I knew there was only one choice for it. Yep an injection because although it initially hurts it does do the job. Anyway, of all things I started to develop tennis elbow in my right elbow. I have been trying resting, though that’s hard as I am right handed. Lifting, holding just plain movement by the end of the day was excrutiating. I started out with a small pain in my elbow joint then it radiated down to a pain in my forearm which had me afraid to try and lift anything. It just wasn’t worth it. So the GP offered me an injection in the elbow as well as the one in my hand. OMG the hand settled by the night but the arm was still hurting yesterday. It has finally settled and I can feel the difference. I feel like a new WOMAN!

Whilst I was at the GP I happened to mention that I had a problem with lightheadness and he suggested that maybe I was not getting enough iron in my diet and he is probably right. He suggested I take iron tablets, which I must remember to get. Anyhow he also suggested checking my pulse, well blow me of three readings my lowest diastolic number was 109! When I told him I was planning on going running that evening he suggested that I did not, so that scuppered my second run that week. He asked me to take BP measurements at varying times of the day and I am to be seen again this Friday (20th) for a review.

I have been a good patient and my BP was okay this morning, so I went out for my scheduled “comfortable run” with a guide pace of 9+ to 11+ min/mile. I am pleased with what I managed today and hope that my BP continues to behave itself. I really do think it was the thought of those painful injections which had my heart racing.

I’m hungry now I’m back from my run and thoughts have turned to toad in the hole which I haven’t in ages. I couldn’t remember my exact recipe but found this one on allrecipes.co.uk, enjoy and I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing day 🙂

Method

Pour the oil into the bottom of a baking dish, and arrange the sausages over it in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs and half of the milk until smooth. Gradually mix in the rest of the milk until a smooth batter is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the sausages from the oven, and ladle the batter over them until the sausages are 3/4 covered. Return to the oven, and bake for 35 minutes, or until the centre is risen and browned. Don’t worry if the underside seems slightly soft, as this is normal.

Yesterday I set off hoping to be able to do another 13.1 miles total however this time there were no obstacles and it was for no one but myself. I managed it and that I am truly grateful for because I thought I was going to die!!! Talk about lead legs. They just didn’t want to move. I’m going to start looking into different energy drinks and gels. I have noticed quite a few runners in the past with their sports gels and thought that’s a handy way to get the fuel you need without spilling something all over yourself. To that end I’m going to order some from amazon.co.uk. I’m leaning towards trying the High 5 banana blast energy gel sachets and the High 5 Raspberry and Caffeine energy gel sachets.

I came back home and eagerly sat down to watch the events of the BUPAGreat North Run. I have been lucky enough to run this race 4 times and watching it yesterday inspired me to sign up for the email notification cos, you guessed it, I want to do it again next year. I’ve even made a reservation for the hotel! My son even got in on it and has also signed up for notification for BGNR 2014. Not only that we sat there and decided to sign up for the BUPA London 10,000 next year. We’re in and the date is Monday May 26th 2014. I’m so excited 🙂

My next event this year is the ‘Heart to Heart’ 13km walk. It’s to coincide with World Heart Day and has been organised by the widow of our friend who passed away from a heart condition late last year. A fundraising page has been set up at this web address if anyone is interested:- www.justgiving.com/teams/heart-to-heart. After that it’s a 10km for the British Heart Foundation and I’m all done for 2013. However I’m not too sure because I can’t help feeling I need to maybe add one more race in there before the end of the year, we’ll see.

Today was the Nike+ Run to the Beat starting and finishing in Greenwich Park. Now I would upload my map from my runkeeper.com app however I managed to turn it off whilst running, so I can tell you that indeed there were no PB’s today – I managed 2 hours and 5 mins and 17 secs. Though I am quite pleased with the time as I did take a toilet break (I was busting) and we came to a completely stop about mile 5 (Woolwich Arsenal). There were a few moans and groans as we filed into the courtyard of said barracks and then run around a steel band, a water station and Vita Coco and then back to stand in a queue to file out of the barracks. I don’t think anyone understood what that was all about and why you’d want to squeeze so many people through a tiny gate!

I didn’t mention that we also set off about 15-20 mins later than we were supposed to with no explanation and although this event was billed as a music marathon full of music pumping around the course there wasn’t much music. In fact I wish I had worn my headphones for there were long periods without music and without support and on those long runs the music keeps me going. There were the occasional dj’s along the course but not many.

Mile 12 to 13 was a killer as not only was it uphill you kept on looping around areas within the park to find yourself with no finishing line in sight – it was all very confusing.

Anyway, I’m back home and it’s done and I’m not sure that I’d do this one again but at least I can say I’ve done it and I have another medal to add to my collection!!

As I woke this morning it did not take much effort at all to get out there and run. It was very similar to the run I did two weeks ago actually and the one I did last week. For some reason I’m only managing to get out and run on Sundays. During the week I’m going for short power walks but no runs. I need to change that and do some interval and fartlek training. It’s a Bank Holiday weekend here and for a change the weather seems to be good, yesterday wasn’t so nice, rain and showers but like I said today it is glorious and I’m going to get out there and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. I hope you do too!

PS: I went to see Beyoncé at the O2 Arena on Tuesday and needless to say I did get 2 hours of exercise..

Gosh it’s lovely running weather and I don’t say that too often. Nope it’s not raining but it’s one of these crisp, sunny, bright mornings which just invite you to get out of bed and engage in the day! It’s absolutely glorious!

That’s is one of the longest runs I’ve done in a while but I want to make it part of my weekly routine again. There was a time that almost every Sunday I was in pursuit of a run of at least 12 miles.

Today is the Virgin London Marathon and I want to wish all those who are participating in it, whether you are running, organising or going to supporting those participating it, a lovely, enjoyable day!!

I ran today in memory of those people who participated, organised, supported and were tragically injured or killed in yesterday’s Boston Marathon and the senselessness of it all. I then also started to think about my husband’s families loss of a father, grandfather and great-grandfather. My husband’s grandfather passed away last Wednesday and unlike the people who were cut down yesterday in Boston he was able to live a full life from what I can understand but it doesn’t make it any less tragic or painful for those of us left behind. God bless them all!!

another run has been accomplished this time 6 miles, followed by a 1 mile walk. The weather is hopefully going to hit 19oC this weekend which is nigh on balmy, so we’ll all have to get outdoors and throw on our t-shirts.

I woke up this morning not really feeling like going out at all but I did say last week that I would start and continue, no excuses. To that end I got ready, looked outside and was glad to see the rain. I love running in the rain and by the time I switched from a run to a power walk, (yep I managed two activities on my runkeeper.com account today), it was driving rain!

Rugby is a global game and this blog will bring us all together in one place. It will go behind the scenes of professional rugby as well as tackling key rugby issues. We will talk to experts and gain an insight. For example, should the salary cap remain? Should Bath move from the Recreation Ground and Cardiff Blues from the Arms Park?